We Should All Be Healthy Divas: Ready, Set, GO.

Oh, man: Divas. I got tired just typing the word. The modern diva, already formidable enough talking loudly about "all the drama" in the halls of high school, comes in all shapes and sizes, now exacerbated by the existence of Twitter and Facebook. Cryptic status updates that feature a song lyric and one forlorn ellipses (e.g. "Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you..."). Gallery upon gallery of Photobooth selfies. We all know at least one of them. Maybe you are one of them.

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A friend of mine recently made the most accurate statement about a diva we know: "When you talk to her, you can tell that she's thinking about how pretty she looks as she's reacting to what you're saying." Zing. Nail on the head.

We're used to reading profiles of female celebrities that open with "She's not your typical A-list diva." Usually there's some kind of significant indication towards the beginning of the profile that punctures our assumptions of the star's high-maintenance behavior... but is being a Beyoncé-level diva all bad?

Barbra, Bette and Cher aside, while divas (or male "divos") may bug the crap out of you, the Wall Street Journal posits that being around "healthy" divas can actually be a positive influence on you. These high-performing, high-maintenence narcissists, in demanding perfection, can teach you the benefits of valuing yourself more. (Think Mariah packing up her diamonds and clothes and leaving her cheating asshole boyfriend on "Shake It Off.")

They're also fun, positive, and willing to share the spotlight. "Having a healthy diva around brings a lot of sparkle," says a psychologist quoted in the essay. "They make your world more interesting and pleasurable because you can bask in their spotlight with them."

Then there are the "unhealthy" divas, whose attitude springs from oodles of self-hate rather than self-love. They're needy, selfish, negative, and fiercely backstabby. Their relationships with friends and lovers often burn bright for a short time, then fizzle when the people around them are unable to take it anymore. They possess the power of "Machiavellian intelligence" (i.e. manipulation) rather than the healthy diva's "charismatic intelligence." (Machiavellian principles involve "breaking someone down" to build them back up; just for a frame of reference, it's one of the primary characteristics in the PUA--pick-up artist--community.)

The article also suggests that diva behavior stems from evolutionary development, which makes sense when you consider Darwin's survival of the fittest. Those who demand what they want flourish, and those who don't are eliminated.